3.1 earthquake hits San Fernando Valley

The temblor struck at 12:46 p.m. and was felt in various parts of the San Fernando Valley.

Kate Hutton, a seismologist at Caltech, said the quake, while in a populated area, was likely too small to cause much damage. The quake was so small that seismologists have not determined the fault location.

Hutton said she doesn't believe this was an aftershock to the 1994 Northridge temblor, which erupted nearby.

"I'd say take it as a reminder to check your supplies and your plan. It's just sort of another drill," Hutton said.

-- Jia-Rui Chong

Image: The map shows recent quakes in Southern California with the red square marking todays 3.1 earthquake in the San Fernando Valley. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey